Bylaw Services officers have issued more than $400,000 in fines to drivers illegally stopping on downtown streets, as the City of Ottawa looks to keep traffic moving on main corridors. As part of the 48-point plan to deal with increased traffic on roads and highways, the city extended no-parking and no-stopping zone times on 23 downtown streets and increased fines for no-stopping zone and no-parking zone infractions. Between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30, officers issued 2,447 tickets for no-stopping zone infractions and 14 tickets for no-parking zone infractions during peak periods. “This includes 405 warning tickets issued as education during the start of the month,” Jake Gravelle, chief of Bylaw and Regulatory Services, told CTV News Ottawa in a statement. “This education and increased enforcement has led to a decrease in repeat offences and assisted in keeping traffic moving in key areas of the downtown core.” The fine for stopping in a no-stopping area in the downtown corridor increased on Sept. 1 from $130 to $195, with an early payment option of $165. The fine for a no-parking zone violation in the downtown core increased from $90 to $135, with an early payment option of $105. The city extended no-parking and no-stopping zone times until 9:30 a.m. during the morning commute and from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. during the afternoon commute. “Bylaw and Regulatory Services (BLRS) has increased enforcement in key areas of the downtown core during peak times to ensure that traffic flows smoothly,” Gravelle said. “BLRS reminds motorists to review and comply with all posted and applicable parking regulations, including both signed and unsigned restrictions. Enforcement efforts will continue to support public safety, accessibility and compliance with the City’s Traffic and Parking Bylaw.” The “critical downtown corridors” with increased fines for no-parking and no-stopping violations are: The city has created 13 loading zones in the downtown core for parcel delivery and pickups to accommodate traffic during the peak periods.
